Culture & Heritage
Duval County Has Deep Tejano Roots
Most people in Duval County are Hispanic. The county's culture comes from Tejano and South Texas ranching traditions.
Before Texas became a state, this land was part of large Spanish land grants. In the 1800s, the area was ranching country. It had strong ties to the broader border culture.
By the early 1980s, about 86 percent of the county's people were Hispanic. That was one of the highest shares in the entire United States at that time.
San Diego is the county seat. It sits on land once called Perezville. A Mexican ranching family founded that settlement in the 1840s. Today, ranching traditions, Spanish-language heritage, and Catholic culture are still central to life here. The Texas State Historical Association records this history in its Handbook of Texas.
Source to confirm: Texas Handbook Online — Duval County